Freezing Greens - preserving the bounty

The greens (collards, kale, mustard, etc) are coming in. If you grow or buy more than you can eat right now freezing is a great way to have them throughout the year.

Here's the short form:
Rather than chop the greens and then have to fish them out of the blanching water, I blanch the leaves whole first, chill, then chop.
Blanch the greens in nearly boiling salted water. Takes a minute or 2 for them to change from fresh leaves to darker green slightly "cooked". Leave the stems long or on so you have a way to handle the leaves. (I use a large saute pan the leaves can lay flat in.) I put in about three or four leaves at a time.
Dip them in cold water, ice cubes in the water is good, to stop the cooking process.
Gently squeeze the excess water off.
Lay the leaves on cutting board in stack, cut out the stem, chop into your favorite size pieces.
Put in freezer bag. Press out the air.
Enjoy when you want them out of season.
Carla